Boreham Wood came from behind for the second time in three days and beat Maidstone United 2-1 on Bank Holiday Monday.
Against the run of play, Jack Paxman put the home side in front with a stunning strike in the dying embers of first half added time.
However, Angelo Balanta whipped in a sweetly struck free-kick shortly after the hour mark to claw the Wood back into the tie.
Josh Umerah then grabbed all three points with a powerful effort in the 85th minute – his third goal in as many days.
Luke Garrard made one change to the side who beat Halifax Town, with PASE Academy graduate Sorba Thomas starting up-front and Ricky Shakes dropping into left-wing back.
There was an early sight of goal for Thomas, who ambitiously took on a 25-yard strike, but he sent it the wrong side of the left post.
A Blair Turgott corner rebounded out to Joe Quigley just inside of the area, but Angelo Balanta thumped it clear.
A free-kick from Turgott then found Jack Muldoon, but his first-time strike was held by Ellery Balcombe in the Wood goal.
A nice back-heeled flick from Thomas teed up Umerah inside of the box, but his half-volley was blocked wide by Will De Hailland.
The Wood were growing in the match and a long-ball from Balcombe found Murtagh down the right-wing. Murtagh’s low drive into the box was snapped up by Umerah, but it was nicked from his feet, as he went to strike.
Stones’ skipper Stuart Lewis then sent a long-range effort sailing over the crossbar. Wood countered, and Mark Ricketts teased a ball into Murtagh in the box, but his low left-footed shot was held by Lee Worgan.
Tom Champion nearly opened the scoring in eye-catching fashion, when he launched a perfectly hit volley from 20-yards, but Worgan pushed it out of his top left corner at full stretch.
Thomas was impressing with his first National League start of the campaign and collected a bouncing ball in the Stones’ box, he flicked it up and twisted it towards goal, but it was blocked and cleared.
The young forward then picked up a short corner and swung it towards Jamal Fyfield, but the defender’s shot was deflected wide.
The Wood were firmly on top and David Stephens played a beautiful through ball from his own half that was met by Thomas in the opposition area. Thomas’ first touch was good, but Michee Efete recovered to nick it clear.
Maidstone then broke the deadlock against the run of play, thanks to Paxman, who whipped a 20-yard effort into the top left corner, via the underside of the bar.
Garrard’s side returned for the second half determined to enjoy another comeback and had a chance early on when Murtagh’s corner fell for Shakes in the area, but the wing-back couldn’t aim his effort on target.
The game became a true end-to-end affair during a frantic few minutes of action. Umerah had found himself on goal in the Maidstone box, before going to ground, but saw calls for a penalty waved away.
The home side then countered and Balcombe done well to beat Turgott to a long-ball outside of his area and chest it past the winger and clear.
The Wood ‘keeper’s clearance ended up at the feet of Thomas who swung a shot at Worgan, but it was blocked and cleared once more.
Ricketts then saw a chance of his own blocked away in the box, before the Stones countered again, only for Balcombe to come out on top once more and claim a long-ball.
The away side’s chance to level came on the hour mark, when Balanta was brought down on the edge of the area in a good position.
The creative Columbian forward stepped up and curled the free-kick beautifully into the top left corner, leaving Worgan with no chance.
Now in the hunt for all three points, Umerah broke around Lewis on the by-line and fashioned a chance for his side out of nothing, but his shot was blocked into the side netting by the well-recovered Lewis.
The Stones’ skipper then dragged an effort of his own wide from inside of the area.
Umerah once again battled around his marker on the by-line, but this time dragged it back for Thomas, who saw his shot blocked by Michael Phillips.
With just five minutes of the game remaining, Umerah stepped up to be the match-winner once again. The on-loan Charlton forward took the ball on the edge of the area, spun, and fired it into the bottom right corner to secure another vital win.
The Wood: Balcombe, Woodards (Ilesanmi 66’), Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Umerah, Murtagh, Fyfield, Thomas (Ash 87’), Balanta
Subs not used: Parry, Smith, Burbidge
Maistone United: Worgan, Efete, De Havilland, Finney, Lewis ©, Quigley, Paxman (Mullings 68’) Turgott, Coker (Wynter 68’), Twumasi, Muldoon (Phillips 75’)
Subs not used: McLennan, Loza
Goals:
The Wood: Balanta 61’, Umerah 85’
Maidstone: Paxman 45’
Attendance: 2,035
